Look what the Supreme Court did to change my life drastically

[redbearmark]

With the historic Supreme Court rulings this summer about marriage equality, what was impossible before is now a possibility. As a Federal employee, with marriage, Brett has the full rights as a spouse to all benefits, retirement and social security too. Armed with this knowledge, we are pursing a civil marriage in the District of Columbia to be

Comments

[mrdreamjeans]

I'm really excited for you!! :)

[notdefined]

I thought that the recent constitutional amendment in Virginia prohibits civil unions, domestic partnerships and especially marriages.

A process for change

[redbearmark]

You are correct. Same sex marriage bans are in the amended Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

As a Federal Employee, same sex marriage is legal and all the benefits of a spouse are legal too. Health care, retirement, social security are my spouse's legal rights too.

So the ruling that overturned DOMA's section about the illegality of a state marriage at the Federal level is now reversed. We are recognized Federally but not at the State level. Our point of challenge is next year when tax time comes. Federally we are married and can file as such. The State taxes usually take that same information from the Federal return. We will see if the bureaucrats are willing to amend their tax programs or just let it go.

If we are legally married for tax purposes at the state level, then it should follow that we should be legally recognized as married at the State level for all other purposes too.

A small point to challenge the law but I think it will be the crack in the facade that will break the wall down/

Re: A process for change

[notdefined]

Ah, at least Virginia will not try to trump the federal government because some folks say they are married at the federal level. Morgan and I filed joint returns in California since 2008 when we were married. The process was complicated until DOMA was overturned, but now that we live in Washington it is reversed again. Washington has no income tax. :) I did get a letter this week from the University retirement program saying that items I was taxed for as single (imputed income) will no longer be taxed and a refund is forthcoming. Of course, they also have to include a refund of California income tax from 6/1/2013 when I moved out of state.

However, I would accept any amount of administrative paperwork as long as our marriage continues to be recognized by the government as it does today in Washington state and by the federal government.

[designerotter]

How delightful! That is a truly exciting prospect ....and doubly amazing to see something like this being a possibility within our lifetimes. YAY for you and Brett!